Toddlers and television

Toddlers and television

Highlights

• Limit the amount of TV your child watches
• Watch programmes, not television
• Choose calm, quiet programmes
• Watch TV with your children whenever possible
• Help your child watch with a critical eye
• Extend the programme's content with activities or books

Starting out tough from day one is the key to keeping your toddler's viewing time under control. It's a lot easier to relax your standards later than it is to wean an 18-month-old from a four-times-a-day "Teletubbies" habit. Here are some other tips on how to use television wisely.

Limit the amount of TV your child watches

If your child is under two, try to keep TV-watching to a bare minimum. If you do choose to allow your child to watch television, break it up into 10- to 15-minute slots. More than that and his little brain can go on autopilot. From age two to three, limit his total viewing time to an hour a day -- even that amount is a lot for an active toddler. You should also keep the television out of your child's bedroom and off during mealtimes.

Watch programmes, not television

Rather than sitting down to watch whatever is on, use the TV listings to carefully select what your child is going to watch, and turn off the set when that program is over. A five-minute warning that a beloved show is about to end will help your toddler get ready for the next activity.

Choose calm, quiet programmes

Slower-paced viewing gives your child time to think about what he's watching and absorb the information. Lots of random action, like the kind in action/adventure cartoons, will only confuse him. Also, some research suggests that children who watch violence on TV are more likely to display aggressive behaviour. Stay away from scary programmes, too. Instead, choose simple ones that emphasise interactivity. Programmes that inspire your child to make sounds, say words, sing and dance are great.

Watch TV with your children whenever possible

A recent study looked at three groups: children with unlimited access to television, children with moderate access to television who watched without parents and children with moderate access to television who watched with a parent. The last group scored significantly higher academically than did the other groups. Just being there says to your child, "What you do is important to me". Of course we all have moments when we have to use television or a video as a babysitter, but when you leave your child alone with the TV for a long time, you send a signal that you don't care what he watches. If you can, bring a basket of laundry to sort or some other task into the room with you so you can work and watch. Then it becomes an activity the two of you can enjoy together.

Help your child watch with a critical eye

As much as you can, explain what's going on in the programme and during the adverts (and clarify the difference between the two). Encourage your child to ask questions and relate what is happening in the programme to his own life. If you have a VCR, consider taping programmes. That way you can watch when you choose, and pause the tape to discuss what's going on. You can also fast-forward through the adverts.

Extend the programme's content with activities or books

If you and your child have just finished watching a Tweenies episode that mentions a number, talk about it later and find other examples to show him. When you're setting the table, for example, you might say, "Hey, today's number was three, and there are three places to set!" Or read and discuss a book that includes number concepts.